News of Record: Aug. 22, 2012

August 22, 2012

CORWITH - A Corwith man, who allegedly threatened people with a gun, has been sentenced to serve 10 years in prison after admitting to the crime.

Randy S. Smith, 50, of Corwith, pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment in February.

He was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Aug. 1.

Smith admitted that on June 9, 2011, he had been drinking and waved around a 9-millimter pistol. He said he threatened to kill the people with him, and also threatened to kill himself.

According to a press release from the United States attorney's office for the Northern District of Iowa, from the time he was 19, Smith was convicted of more than 28 offenses, which included five felony drunk driving convictions.

Because of his criminal history, he was not allowed to own guns.

Smith will remain in the United States marshal's custody until he can be moved to prison.

2 FD residents sentenced for meth

SIOUX CITY - Two Fort Dodge residents are among five convicted drug suspects recently sentenced to federal prison.

The suspects in the Cerro Gordo County meth conspiracy include Jeremy J. Stanberg, 32, and Trista M. Espinoza, 27, both of Fort Dodge.

Barkema and Lamp received 210 months in prison, Stanberg was sentenced to 188 months in prison, while Espinoza received a sentence of 180 months and Fandel was sentenced to 151 months.

According to testimony at the plea hearings, Lamp received meth and resold it to others. Espinoza delivered the meth and picked up money from customers, while Baerkema and Stanberg received meth from Lamp and gave it to others.

Fandel, according to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Iowa, "brokered transactions involving up to one-eighth ounce quantities" of meth.

The meth conspiracy, according to the attorney's office, lasted from January-December 2011.

Four of the five suspects have previous convictions for felony drug charges in Iowa; they include Espinoza's conviction in Webster County from 2003 and Fandel's conviction in Calhoun County in 2006.